Northern Territory Government Newsroom

A joint arts project with local Darwin artist
Aly de Groot and Groote Eylandt artists Annabel
Amagula and Maicie Lalara that creatively addresses the issue of plastic pollution in
our oceans has been selected to participate in the 2019
Asialink Arts Creative Exchange program.

Director of Arts NT, Angela Hill, said that partnering
with Asialink has increased showcasing and professional development opportunities
for Territory artists and arts professionals at an international level and
strengthens the Territory’s arts engagement with Asia.

“In addition to the joint arts project local Katherine based
writer/producer Courtney Collins has also been selected
for the 2019 Asialink Arts Creative Exchange program where she will undertake
an exchange at the Himachal Pradesh University in India,” Ms Hill said.

“The Northern Territory Government has partnered in the
Asialink Residency Program since 2000 and over the past 19 years, we have
provided funding to support a total of 35 Territory arts residencies in Asia.”

Aly de Groot, Annabel Amagula and Maicie Lalara have
been working together on Groote Eylandt since 2015, weaving with marine debris
that washes up on their beaches from Indonesia and all over the world. As
artists in residence at Komunitas Salihara, an arts centre located in South Jakarta, the three will creatively address the issue
of plastic pollution in our oceans through their weaving project, workshops and
exhibitions. This project will continue the long history of exchange between
Anindilyakwa and Indonesian people.

Courtney Collins, Centre for Australian
and New Zealand Studies, Himachal Pradesh University, India

Courtney Collins is a writer/producer living in the
remote Indigenous community of Ngukurr and Katherine. Her first novel, The
Burial, was shortlisted for numerous prizes including the NSW Premier’s Award
and The Stella Prize. Published in 10 countries, it is being adapted as a
feature film. In 2017, Courtney started Ngukurr Story Project supporting local
Indigenous people to tell the stories they want to tell in the language they
want to tell it in. Recently, she has written a web series set in Tibet and the
NT. Her second novel is due to be published in 2020.

Asialink
Arts has awarded global creative exchange opportunities to 23 individual
artists and arts professionals in 2019, including 22 Australian artists to Asia
and one Asian-based artist who will be coming to Australia through a targeted
exchange program.

Each recipient has been
linked with one of over 40 global collaborators working with Asialink Arts;
ranging from publishing houses, private galleries, theatres, universities and
dedicated arts residency spaces.

In 2018 the Northern Territory Government supported three
Territorians to participate in the 2018 Asialink Arts Exchange including Amee
Porter to undertake a residency at No.1 Shanti Road Studio Gallery in
Bangalore, India, Naina Sen to undertake a residency at the Sanskriti Foundation in New Delhi, India and Louise
Partos to undertake an arts management residency at Singapore’s national arts
centre, Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay.